Bob Brookover

COLUMNIST

Sports columnist Bob Brookover joined the Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after long stints in the same role with the Camden Courier-Post and the Delaware County Daily Times. He also served as the National League columnist for ESPN. He made the move from rawhide to pigskin in 2003 and covered the Eagles for seven years before returning to his roots as the Inquirer's baseball columnist in 2010. He became a general sports columnist in 2013 and loves covering a variety of sports and events.

Kevin Frandsen's season is not over, but general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated Tuesday that the stress fracture that has kept the third baseman out of the starting lineup for seven straight games is severe enough that he will not be able to return as a regular in the lineup for the remainder of the season.

"Frandsen's situation is he has a stress fracture in his (left) ankle, so he has to play to tolerance," Amaro said. "So he might play one day, then get another day off. He might come in for an emergency situation or he may come in to pinch-hit. It depends on how he feels.

"He's not going to be our regular third baseman. I don't think he can do it physically. I don't want to have a guy playing on a broken ankle. Even though it is just a stress fracture, we're not going to put him out there and have him try to do something he can't do."

Frandsen said his ankle feels considerably better than it did when it first forced him out of the lineup a week ago in Cincinnati and that he is determined to get back on the field. He has made just one pinch-hit appearance since suffering the injury and came through with an infield RBI single in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader against Colorado.

"I got a big hit in that game and if that's what is asked of me then that's what is asked of me," Frandsen said. "I'm gearing up to play, though. I feel like I can play."

Catcher Carlos Ruiz, meanwhile, started his first game behind the plate since Aug. 2 Tuesday night. He had made his first appearance since Aug. 2 as a pinch-hitter in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader and he also entered that game as a defensive replacement. Ruiz had been on the disabled list with a severe left foot injury.

Amaro said that Ruiz's playing time will continue to be limited.

"He's not playing every day," Amaro said. "He might play once every four or five days. We'll see how he feels. We're going to have to monitor him very carefully."